UN investigator urges protection of detainees

[Kalevalatar]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091021/ap_on_re_us/un_un_inhuman_detentionThe

U.N.'s top investigator on torture and punishment called Tuesday for a new U.N. convention to protect the rights of detainees, saying many are held for years and sometimes for a lifetime in inhuman and degrading conditions.

In a statement to the U.N. General Assembly committee dealing with humanitarian issues, he said the suffering caused by the few hours of torture in the early days of detention — often to extract confessions — is often outweighed by the suffering detainees have to endure for years.

While many people think torture is primarily the fate of political prisoners, [Manfred] Nowak said "in reality, most of the victims of arbitrary detention, torture and inhuman conditions of detention are ordinary people, usually belonging to the poorest and most disadvantaged sectors of society" — including children, the disabled, gays and lesbians, drug addicts, illegal aliens, and members of religious and ethnic minorities.


10 million persons are deprived of liberty worldwide, the majority of them living in unacceptable conditions. In many countries, the authorities do not even feel responsible to provide food for their detainees.

 

[ACougar]

Strange that even the "liberal" Obama administration isn't liberal enough to simply seperate the prisoners of war from the criminals and then treat each group as such.

 

[Autumnleaf]

I met a guy who guarded some of these guys. He said they were treated like normal prisoners and behaved themselves. He even said the older ones would joke around with the guards. It wasn't until he left that he learned how 'bad' the people he was guarding were.

 

[Kalevalatar]

I met a guy who guarded some of these guys. He said they were treated like normal prisoners and behaved themselves. He even said the older ones would joke around with the guards. It wasn't until he left that he learned how 'bad' the people he was guarding were.

What on earth are you talking about?

Detainees forced to spend years in "tin cans," tiny metal boxes where temperatures rise to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C), detainees being deliberately shot into legs and then left without any medical treatment so that they no longer have legs to "escape", detainees left to starve, detainees being denied such basics than clean water, 9-year-old child detainees being raped on daily bases by both adult prisoners and guards, often for exchange of food and water...

At least where I come from, such "treatment" is NOWHERE near "normal." Nowhere.

Did you miss the part where it says that, quote, "in reality, most of the victims of arbitrary detention, torture and inhuman conditions of detention are ordinary people, usually belonging to the poorest and most disadvantaged sectors of society, including children, the disabled, gays and lesbians, drug addicts, illegal aliens, and members of religious and ethnic minorities.

Yup. Some very bad people there indeed.

 

[Yusuf Evans]

I just want people to understand, this is not simply about the US detainees in Gitmo and in Afghanistan; it's about the worldwide detention of individuals. Far more political prisoners are subjected to torture, inhumane conditions and death than those being held by the US in these places. It's a worldwide problem that needs to be addressed and resolved.

 

[BlackAndy]

http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20091021/ap_on_re_us/un_un_inhuman_detentionThe

U.N.'s top investigator on torture and punishment called Tuesday for a new U.N. convention to protect the rights of detainees, saying many are held for years and sometimes for a lifetime in inhuman and degrading conditions.

In a statement to the U.N. General Assembly committee dealing with humanitarian issues, he said the suffering caused by the few hours of torture in the early days of detention — often to extract confessions — is often outweighed by the suffering detainees have to endure for years.

While many people think torture is primarily the fate of political prisoners, [Manfred] Nowak said "in reality, most of the victims of arbitrary detention, torture and inhuman conditions of detention are ordinary people, usually belonging to the poorest and most disadvantaged sectors of society" — including children, the disabled, gays and lesbians, drug addicts, illegal aliens, and members of religious and ethnic minorities.


10 million persons are deprived of liberty worldwide, the majority of them living in unacceptable conditions. In many countries, the authorities do not even feel responsible to provide food for their detainees.

Well, the first thing to improving the conditions of these people is to take responsibility for said improvements out of the hands of the UN.

 

[Billnew]

What on earth are you talking about?

Detainees forced to spend years in "tin cans," tiny metal boxes where temperatures rise to 140 degrees F (60 degrees C), detainees being deliberately shot into legs and then left without any medical treatment so that they no longer have legs to "escape", detainees left to starve, detainees being denied such basics than clean water, 9-year-old child detainees being raped on daily bases by both adult prisoners and guards, often for exchange of food and water...

At least where I come from, such "treatment" is NOWHERE near "normal." Nowhere.

Did you miss the part where it says that, quote, "in reality, most of the victims of arbitrary detention, torture and inhuman conditions of detention are ordinary people, usually belonging to the poorest and most disadvantaged sectors of society, including children, the disabled, gays and lesbians, drug addicts, illegal aliens, and members of religious and ethnic minorities.

Yup. Some very bad people there indeed.

I heard from a co-worker, a Nurse practioner that treated the prisoners at Gitmo, the guards were the ones being abused.
World heresay versuses someone thats been there, I trust the person thats been there.(even more, that she was treating the illness and injuries.)

I just want people to understand, this is not simply about the US detainees in Gitmo and in Afghanistan; it's about the worldwide detention of individuals. Far more political prisoners are subjected to torture, inhumane conditions and death than those being held by the US in these places. It's a worldwide problem that needs to be addressed and resolved.

I do believe anytime we hear about prisoner abuse we automatically think of our detainees. Gitmo and our other detainment camps are small time compared to long time established goverement endorsed abuse.

Well, the first thing to improving the conditions of these people is to take responsibility for said improvements out of the hands of the UN.

The individual countries must use preasure to encourage other nations to
end this treatment. Define what is torture, and what isn't, and encourage
all countries to stand against torture.

The UN will never get anything done. Only the countries unifying against torture will end it. (Same with terrorism.)

 

[Kalevalatar]

I just want people to understand, this is not simply about the US detainees in Gitmo and in Afghanistan; it's about the worldwide detention of individuals. Far more political prisoners are subjected to torture, inhumane conditions and death than those being held by the US in these places. It's a worldwide problem that needs to be addressed and resolved.

Thank you.

 

[Steezie]

I met a guy who guarded some of these guys. He said they were treated like normal prisoners and behaved themselves. He even said the older ones would joke around with the guards. It wasn't until he left that he learned how 'bad' the people he was guarding were.

You'll forgive me if I'm more inclined to believe the UN over your....secondhand (?) story.

While very entertaining (Aesop would be just bawling in his beef stew) I find hearsay to be about as useful as a car with no wheels.